Heard County directs Planning Commission to study residential retirement community

The Heard County Board of Commissioners voted unanimously March 23 to ask the county Planning Commission to review the zoning code and propose amendments to permit a residential retirement community.

Commissioner Larry Hammond made the motion to refer the matter to the Planning Commission; Commissioner Larry Hooks seconded. The board approved the referral without recorded opposition. The minutes do not include specific site proposals or developer names; the action asks the Planning Commission to explore code amendments and report back with recommendations.

The referral is an initial step to consider regulatory changes that would allow construction of age-restricted or retirement-style residential developments under county rules. The minutes show no timeline or required reporting date for the Planning Commission, so any follow-up will depend on Planning Commission scheduling and staff resources.